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PASTORAL   LETTER 


OF    THE 


Bishop  of  East  Carolina, 


TO  THE 


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l[&tft  fcajjut^  Hjs  dmrnttl 


AT 


FAYETTEVILLE,  N.  C. 


MAY   25,     1888. 


Jeremiah  VI.  16. — ''''Thus  saith  the  Lord,  stand  ye  in 
1  ''the  ways,   and    see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  zvhere  is  the 
ugood  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your 
1 ' sou  Is. 
Dear  Brethren  of  the  Clergy  and  Laity: 

There  is  a  restlessness  in  the  religious  atmos- 
phere around  us,  and  a  tendency  to  unsettle  old  religious 
habits  of  thought  and  action,  which  is  to  be  deplored  and 
dreaded.  We,  as  a  Diocese,  have  now,  for  these  many  years, 
moved  with  great  unanimity,  and  with  a  steadfast  conserva- 
tism of  churchmanship,  which  has,  at  the  least,  brought  us 
peace  and  quiet. 

It  is  true,  Peace  and  Quiet  are  not  always  wholesome. 
They  may  degenerate  into  lethargy.  There  is  peace  and 
quiet,  of  a  certain  sort,  in  the  grave. 

The  Christian  life  should  be  characterized  by  a  regulated 
activity.  Life  will  produce  activity.  Love  will  always  be 
zealous.  But  activity  and  zeal  may  become  irregular  and 
lawless. 

A  movement  is  not  necessarily  unwholesome  because 
new.  Sometimes,  new  measures  and  new  departures  are  de- 
manded by  the  diseased  and  lethargic  condition  of  the  Church 
and  world.  But  in  the  Church,  when  dealing  with  no  mere 
human  affairs,  but  with  the  awful  work  of  God,  all  new  meas- 
ures should  be  carefully  scrutinized  before  adoption,  and  when 
adopted,  the  decision  in  their  favor  should  proceed  with  the 
sanction  of  the  Church's  authorities. 


4 

This  is  not  to  be  priest-ridden,  but  to  be  law-abiding. 
The  Church  is  not  made,  by  God's  ordinance,  Episcopal  for 
nothing.  And  if  the  church  be  (as  most  of  us  believe)  the  or- 
ganized Kingdom  of  Christ,  we  should  be  very  careful  not  to 
stray  into  paths  which  are  not  her  own;  nor  to  compromise 
her  divine  and  separate  authority  by  too  hasty  concessions,  or 
by  entanglements  with  organizations  ontside  of  her.  And 
this  is  not  to  be  bigotted  or  narrow  minded,  but  only  to  be 
true,  and  accurate,  and  loyal.  There  is  no  real  breadth  in 
thought  or  action  which  ignores  Divine  boundaries.  To  do  so, 
is  simply  to  be  lawless  or  inaccurate.  There  would  be  no 
breadth  of  thought  in  denying,  or  narrowness  in  maintaining, 
the  exclusive  truth  of  Euclid's  47th  proposition.  But  what- 
ever are  the  facts  concerning  God's  Kingdom  or  Church,  or 
concerning  its  limitations  or  ordinances,  they  are  just  as  much 
facts  as  Euclid's  famous  proposition.  Our  power  to  appre- 
hend them  may  not  be  so  great,  or  clear,  or  certain.  But  that 
does  not  diminish  the  certainty  and  exclusive  truth  of  the 
facts  themselves,  or  reduce  our  duty  of  definite  faith  and  de- 
finite action  (so  far  as  attainable)  with  respect  to  them,  or  our 
duty  resolutely  to  maintain  them. 

We  are  taught  by  S.  Paul,  {Eph.  IV.,  j.)  that  there  is  one 
Faith  for  all;  and  we  are  commanded  through  S.  Jude  (3) 
to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered.  And  that 
the  battle  may  be  successfully  fought,  along  the  lines  of  truth, 
it  is  important  that  our  "trumpets  give  no  uncertain  sound." 

I  fear,  that  at  this  time,  an  exaggerated — and  therefore, 
so  far,  a  false,  because  unregulated — yearning  for  Unity  is 
doing  much  mischief  in  this  direction,  by  removing — or  at 
least  obscuring — old  landmarks  of  Faith  and  Action.  I 
believe  in  Unity — in  the  duty  of  Unity — in  the  importance  of 
Unity.  Our  Lord  would  not  have  offered  His  great  prayer  for 
Unity  if  Unity  were  not  His  will.  And  it  is  something 
wonderful  how,  all  over  our  part  of  Christendom,  where, 
within  our  own  recollection — the  constant  maxim  used  to  be, 


5 
that  it  was  better  that  Christians  should  be  divided — since 
thus  they  would  be  more  watchful  of  one  another,  and  of 
each  other's  doctrines,  and  so  would  guard  the  Faith  on  every 
side — where  again,  men  used  to  think  it  a  Christian  solution 
of  theological  controversy,  to  agree  to  disagree — it  is  simply 
wonderful  how  all  this  has  changed  within  the  last  few  years. 
Is  it  God's  Providenee,  bringing  about  what  a  few  years  since 
seemed  hopeless?  Is  it  the  great  ground  s&ell  of  God's  spirit, 
like  a  mighty  sea,  breaking  up  our  frozen  and  settled  and 
self  satisfied  Sectarianism,  that  out  of  the  chaos  might  come 
forth  a  new  and  harmonious  world  ?  What  blessed  signs  and 
premonitions  have  come  to  pass  of  late  !  Hand  reached  forth 
to  hand,  to  grasp  in  friendship,  where  before  was  the  armed 
fist  to  strike  !  Whatever  the  cause,  let  us  devoutly  thank  God 
for  this  much  of  the  effect,  and  with  sincere  and  loving  hearts 
salute  our  kinsmen  of  other  names  who  beckon  to  us. 
Let  us  seek  to  unite  with  them  in  the  loving  embrace  of 
brethren  in  one  Household.  But  let  us  beware,  lest  in  order 
to  reach  them,  we  meddle  with  the  arrangements  of  the  Mas- 
ter of  the  Household. 

Unity  is  a  duty.  Organic  unity  is  a  duty.  But  it  must  be 
reached  by  lawful  roads.  And  so  long  as  men  conscientious- 
ly think  and  reason,  the  only  road  to  a  true  effective  organic 
unity  must  be  found,  not  in  arbitrary  leagues  or  covenants, 
but  in  drawing  near  from  every  side  to  God,  and  to  God's 
truth,  and,  therefore,  in  the  resolute  maintenance  of  the 
Truth.  And  the  only  reliable  and  permanent  basis  of  unity 
will  be  found  in  the  ''''Unity  of  the  Faith"1"1  once  delivered. 
(Eph.  IV.  13,  S.  Jude  3)  It  is  only  by  this  unity  of  the  Faith — 
by  being  no  longer  blown  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine — 
that  S.  Paul  teaches  us  we  can  come  into  the  one  perfect  man 
in  Christ. 

A  temporary  and  hollow  fraternization  may  result  from 
sinking  out  of  sight  obstructing  convictions,  but  no  perma- 
nent unity,  so  long  as  men  think  and  reason. 


00 


6 

God  has  placed  neither  His  Truth  nor  His  Kingdom  at  our 
disposal,  to  modify  or  put  them  in  exchange,  as  we  will.  Both 
are  precise  and  of  obligation;  and  pertain  to  His  supreme 
prerogative  And  our  plain  duty,  with  respect  to  both — as 
humble  creatures,  atoms  of  dust  that  we  are — as  pardoned 
sinners,  for  whom  to  be  presumptuous  is  monstrous — as  re- 
turned prodigals,  expected  modestly  to  conform  ourselves  to 
the  laws  of  our  Ffthers  house — our  plain  duty  is  to  abide  by 
God's  appointments;  let  men  proclaim  what  doctrines  they 
may — let  the  world  sneer  at  our  precision  as  it  may,  or  call  it 
bigotry.  While  we  may  not  imagine  ourselves  infallible,  yet 
must  we  recognize  the  duty  of  definite  convictions,  with  re- 
spect to  the  faith  once  delivered,  and  the  church  established 
bv  our  Master  as  His  Kingdom.  Nor  may  we  as  Christian 
Soldiers  fail  of  the  courage  of  our  convictions. 

And,  what  if  God  in  his  absolute  Sovereignty  should 
choose  to  bless  others  than  ourselves,  or  those  who  so  far  as  we 
can  see  have  not  yet  altogether  found  the  old  paths;  let  us 
thank  Him  for  His  enlarged  mercy,  and  for  their  sakes  rejoice. 
But  is  that  to  justify  us  in  departing  from  the  path  he  has 
assigned  us? 

Inexpressibly  valuable  as  unity  is,  it  is  not  so  valuable  as 
Obedience  and  Truth.  All  Christians  and  all  Christendom 
should  be  one;  but  should  not  become  one,  by  trampling 
upon  the  lines  of  division  between  truth  and  error. 

I  spoke,  in  the  outset,  of  the  tendency  to  new  habits  of 
thought  and  action.  There  is  in  the  world  of  religious  thought 
(and  it  creeps  sometimes  into  the  ministry)  a  tendency 
to  individualism  and  novelty,  which  is  fraught  with  danger. 
Whence  is  this  ?  By  what  side  wind  has  it  invaded  the  gar- 
den of  God  ?  Can  it  be  the  insidious,  unsuspected  work  of 
him,  who  taught  our  first  parents — after  his  own  fashion — to 
think  for  themselves,  in  Eden  ?  We  should  not  be  the  slaves 
of  others'  thoughts,  but  neither  should  we  be  selfishly  ambi- 
tious to  distinguish  ourselves  by  inventing   or  proclaiming 


7 
novelties.  This  has  been,  through  all  past  generations,  the 
fruitful  mother  of  the  sins  of  Heresy  and  Schism.  It  is 
not  the  true  freedom  of  the  child  of  God,  who  though  ho 
longer  a  servant — but  a  son,  should  yet  be  "humble  as  a  little 
child",  filially  willing  to  accept  all  that  God's  spirit  has  re- 
vealed. Nor  is  it  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  Church. 
Rather  is  it  the  genius  of  the  Church,  to  love  the  old  paths, 
to  desire  to  be  at  one  with  the  generations  which  have  gone 
by,  so  far  as  we  can  be  so  without  sacrifice  of  truth,  not  to 
seek  the  new  because  of  its  fresh ness— beca use  it  is  new — 
but  rather,  to  "ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  way, 
and  to  walk  therein,"  as  said  the  prophet:  Nay!  rather, 
God,  by  His  prophet. 

Wilfulness  of  thought  often  takes  effect  in  wilful  action. 
Departure  from  the  faith  of  God's  Church  is  almost  sure  to  re- 
sult in  violation,  or  careless  observance  of  her  laws.  But 
brethren  of  the  Clergy  and  Laity,  we  have  no  more  right  to 
violate,  or  in  any  degree  to  contravene,  the  Law  of  the 
church  than  we  have  to  controvene  the  Law  of  the  State. 
Less  right  indeed,  if  there  be  any  difference.  In  addition  to 
the  obligation  of  all  duly  enacted  law,  whether  in  the  Church 
or  in  the  State,  we  of  the  clergy  by  our  ordination  vows,  and 
you  of  the  Laity  by  your  vows  in  Baptism,  are  specially 
pledged  to  observe  the  Church's  law.  And  let  us  remember 
that  wilful  disobedience  of  any  law,  duly  enacted  by  the 
proper  authority,  is  sin. 

"Sin  (saith  S.  John,  I  Bp.  III.  4.)  is  the  transgression  of  the 
law;  and  sin  is  inconsistent  with  righteousness,  with  holiness, 
with  true  spirituality,  with  all  genuine  religion.  God  gov- 
erns us  by  His  Church,  as  he  governs  the  citizen  by  the  State, 
and  the  child  by  the  parent,  and  so  the  Church's  law,  so  far  as 
it  does  not  contravene  the  proclaimed  will  of  God,  becomes 
— within  its  sphere,  Gods  law  for  us;  and  the  man,  be  he  cler- 
gyman or  layman,  who  lives  in  wilful  violation  of  the  Church's 
canons,  or  her  rubrics,  (which  are  her  laws)  is,  to  say  the  least, 


an  imperfectly  sanctified  man  ;  and  is  not  wisely  preparing  for 
the  tests  of  the  Judgment,  or  for  the  perfect  obedience  of 
Heaven. 

Let  us  lay  these  things  to  heart  ;  and  while  learning  the 
lesson  of  love  for  those  who  differ  from  us — while  we  pray  for 
unity,  and  yearn  with  all  our  hearts — with  the  great  heart 
of  Christendom — for  unity,  let  us  not  dare  lay  hand  on 
God's  Truth,  or  God's  ordinances,  or  the  fences  of  God's 
Kingdom,  to  pull  down  what  He  has  set  up  :  remembering 
that  true  Holiness,  without  which  it  is  written  "no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord"  is  not  to  be  found  in  error,  or  in  disobe- 
dience. Remembering,  that  our  blessed  Lord,  just  before  His 
petition  that  His  disciples  might  all  be  one,  had  prayed  that 
they  might  be  sanctified  through  the  truth.  Remembering 
too,  that  having  said  "He  that  hath  my  commandments  and 
keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me, ' '  He  then  commanded, 
through  His  Apostle  (Heb.  XIII  17),  "Obey  them  that  have 
the  rule  over  you  and  submit  yourselves  for  they  watch  for 
your  souls  ; ' '  and  that  during  His  earthly  life,  He  had  ordain- 
ed of  the  man  who  should  refuse  to  hear  the  Church,  '  'Let 
him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican."  (S. 
Matt.  XVIII.  17.) 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00034013861 


FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


Form  No.  A-368,  Rev.  8/95 


